MARATHON, Fla. – There was a very large scene in Marathon off 79th Street late Monday afternoon where U.S. Border Patrol agents said a boat containing a large group of Haitian migrants got grounded.
A total of 109 men, women and children came off the boat that ran aground approximately 800 yards off Marathon, authorities said.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 14 Haitians safely stayed with the boat after it grounded.
Officials are calling the incident a maritime smuggling event.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, they received reports from a Good Samaritan of a large wooden boat with large sails near Sombrero Beach.
The migrants were given water and checked medically after being taken into custody by CBP.
A witness told Local 10 News that one migrant said they had been at sea for seven days.
This is just the latest in an increasing number of Cuban and Haitian migrants braving dangerous journeys in an attempt to reach South Florida’s shores.